Liquid dispensing apparatus



May 18, 1943 A. o. coDNEY Erm.

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l lLAlmmmm-IIIL. |||l| www@ E www@ w65 w W7 e m... e... 5%

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May 18, 1943 A. o. coDNEY ETAL LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Haag May 18, 1943 A. o. coDNEY Erm.

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 4 sheets-sheet Filed April 29, 1941 x f A ww lNvENToRs 5G rwe'amer fPogeerMin/EY '7F ATTO Egg May 18 1943 l A. o. coDNEY Erm. 2,319,532

LIQUID DIsPENsfING glARA'rus Filed April 29, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR: ,4er/fa@ 0. (aa/ver BY ,Passer M 54M er Patented May 18, 1943 LIQUID' DISPENSING APPARATUS Arthur O. Codney, ClevelandHeghts, and Robert M. Bailey, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Willard Storage Battery Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of West Virginia Application April 29, 1941, Serial No. 390,944

21 Claims. (Cl. 25u- 67) This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to improved apparatus of this kind with which measured or predetermined volumes of liquid can be delivered 4 ,or dispensed for various purposes, but which is particularlysuitable for filling the cells of storage batteries with a predetermined volume of acid or electrolyte.

In the production of storage batteries it been the usual practice to ll newly assembled batteries with a special low gravity electrolyte and then subject them to a forming or developing charge. After this has taken place the low gravity electrolyte is dumped out of the batteries and they are refilled with an electrolyte of ya sufhciently' high .gravity that, when combined with the low gravity electrolyte remaining in the plates and separators after the dumping operation, it will result in an electrolyte of a desired final gravity. Heretofore the refilling of the batteries with acid of the higher specific gravity has been accomplished by the use of vacuum filling apparatus such as that disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,956,968 granted May 1, 1934, but this has resulted in :many disadvantages which the present apparatus seeks to overcome.

One serious objection to the use of vacuum filling apparatus in connection with the refilling of storage batteries is that the cells-are necessarily filled to overflowing because it is impractical to stop the filling operation at the exact instant that .the cells become filled. It has been found in practice that roughly 10% to 30% more acid ows through the cells thanis actually required to fill them to the specified point and this flow of` excess acid tends to wash or scavenge the retained low gravity acid out of the plates and separators, and inasmuch as this scavenging action is notconstant the iinal specific gravity of the-relled cells'will not be constantin value and an irregular product is likely to be the result. There are many other disadvantages connected with the use of vacuum iillingapparatus in the production of storage batteries such as the more complex equipment required and the diftlculty in maintaining the systemtight at numerous points where air tends to leak in. Vacuum filling apparatus also 'requires a special filling head or portable tool designed to fit-the filling openings of the particular size or type of battery being filled and the operator is required to forcibly hold the filling head against the battery openings to maintain a vacuum seal and this is not only tedious for the operator, but the application of pressure to the cell covers is undesirable because has it may result in damage to the battery. In the use of such vacuum filling apparatus there may also be-a considerable amount of acid wasted and, moreover, it is very diflicult to keep the highly corrosive acid from penetrating all parts of such a vacuum system and producing rapid deterioration.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide improved liquid ldispensing apparatus with which measured or predetermined volumes can be rapidly and accurately delivered at a desired point for filling the cells of storage batteries or for .other purposes and with which the abovementioned disadvantages can be overcome.

Another object of our invention is to provide improved liquid dispensing apparatus of this character which does not require a filling head to beforciblyheld against the openings of the battery cells or other vessels to be filled and does not create a flow of liquid through the cells or vessels in excess of that required to fill them.

jStill another object of our invention is to provide improved. liquid dispensing apparatus embodying a container submerged in a supply tank and adapted to be alternately opened and closed,

and from which a measured or predetermined volume of liquid will be forced by air pressure at the will of the operator. y

A further object of our invention is to provide improved liquid dispensing apparatus of this character in which the volume of liquid to be .dispensed from the submerged container' can be selected or adjusted by varying the extentto which a discharge tube extends into such container.

Yet another object ofour invention is to pro- Y 4vide improved battery lling apparatus' embodying a plurality of submerged containers having removable covers and in which power operated means is employed for opening the covers to admit liquid to the containers and reapplying the covers to seal the containers.

AI further object of our invention is to provide dispensing apparatus of this character in which the lcontainers are connected with the delivery n nozzles of a filling head or portable tool byK conduits and the operation of the power means for moving the container covers is controlled by means located on such filling head.

Our invention may be further `briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel` combinations and arrangements of` parts hereinafter described and'particularly set out in the "appended claims. y

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with portions broken away,showing liquid dispensing apparatus constructed according to our invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus as indicated by line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and showing the apparatus on a somewhat larger scale and with the measuring container open;

Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation showing a portion of one unit of the apparatus of Fig. 1 on a larger scale and with portions thereof broken away? Fig. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view taken through one of the measuring containers and showing the cover in closed position thereon;

Fig. 6 is a partial transverse sectional view taken on line 6-5 of-Fig. 4;

Fig. "I isv another partial transverse sectional .q

view taken on line -l of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a detached side view showing the portable lling head; and

Fig. 9 is an elevational view, more or less diagrammatic in form and .with portions in section,

further illustrating our liquid dispensing apparatus.

Further reference will now be made to the drawings for the purpose of describing our liquid dispensing apparatus in greater detail and although the drawings illustrate but one embodiment of the invention, it will be understood, of course', that the invention is not limited to the particular apparatus disclosed, but may be embodied in various other arrangements of similar apparatus. Likewise it should be understood that although the illustrated embodiment is hereinafter described in connection with battery nlling, the invention is not limited to this use but is also applicable to various liquid dispensing operations.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the present embodiment of the apparatus comprises in general a frame I2, having thereon a tank I3 adapted to contain a supply of liquid,

' such' as battery electrolyte or acid, and in which a plurality of measuring containers i4 are arranged so as to be normally submerged in the liquid. The apparatus also includes a portable device or illling head I5 which is adapted to be applied to the battery to be filled and is connected with the containers i4 by conduits I6. The apparatus also embodies'a movable frame or carrier I1 carrying a plurality of covers I8 for the containers Il and which frame may be power operated.

In the present embodiment of our apparatus we show the tank I3 as being of a size to accommodate two sets of the measuring containers or jars `lland we also show two of the portable filling heads I5 and two of the power operated frames or carriers i1. Each set of jars with its power operated frame I1 and lling head I5 constitutes one dispensing -unit which can-be used simultaneously with, or independently of,the.

other unit. To simplify the description of our apparatus, we shalLrefer particularly to the unit guides forming a guideway for the movable frame I'I and which permits movement of the latter toward and from the tank I3. The frame I1 may be generally rectangular in shape and may be formed of suitably arranged structural steel members, preferably channel shaped members as shown in this instance. The upright members I'I'a forming the sides of the frame Il are slidably movable in the guides 20 and may be connected adjacent their lower and upper ends by transverse channel shaped members I'Ib and I'Ic.

The tank. i3 may be formed of lead or other material which will resist the corrosive action of the acid and may. be of a size to contain a suitable supply of the acid or other liquid to be dispensed. Additional lacid may be supplied to the tank through'the pipe 2IA at a rate such that the measuring containers i4 will always be submerged in the liquid.

The measuring containers I4 may be in the form of open topped upright substantially cylindrical glass jars, as seen in Fig. 3, and may be retained in the desired position at the bottom of v but it will be readily seen that the number of such jars is variable and that either one or any desired number` of jars could be provided.

Each of the jars I4 is provided with a removable cover I8 which is suitably supported adjacent the top of the container as by means 0f a hollow spindle 25 depending from the frame I1. The cover i8 may be of cup-like form, as shown in Figs. 3- and 5, and may be formed of hard rubber or any other suitable material. The depending annular skirt 25a of the cover may be provided with a plurality of openings 26 through which liquid may ilow readily from the tank into the jar when the cover is moved to its open position, as show-n in Fig. 3. The cover is provided interiorly thereof with an annular groove 21 in which a yieldable sealing ring or gasket. 23, formed of sponge rubber or other suitable material, is mounted for sealing engagement with the top ofthe jar I4 when the cover is moved downwardly to its closed position thereon, as shown in Fig. 5. The cover may be suitably mounted on the lower end of the hollow spindle 25 as by providing the top of the cover with a recess 29 in which the lower end of the spindle engages. The relatively large mouth or opening of the open-topped jars I4 and the cover open-v ings 26 provide an inlet passage of a size' to permit the jars to be lled very quickly when the covers I 8 are lifted. It will be seen from Figs.

3 and 5 that the skirt 25a of the cover I3 teleon the left-hand side of the machine, as seen in Fig. 1, although the description is also generally applicable to the right-hand unit.

Vwe provide pairs of substantially vertically aligned charge tube or pipe 30 for each measuring container I 1I and arrange these vtubes so that they extend through the hollowspindles 25 and through the oovers`l8 into the respective containers. 'Ihese tubes are preferably glass tubes althoughthey may be formed of metal or other suitable material. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5 the openings of the hollow spindles 25 are of a larger size than the tubes 30 so that a passage 3l is provided therebetween through which air under pressure can be introduced into the containers I4, after the latter have been closed, to thereby force the desired volume of liquid or acid out through the tubes. To connect the air passages 3l ofthe spindles with the respective containers I4, we provide one or more openings 32 through the covers I8 at a point inwardly of the sealing gasket 28.

The tubes are open at their lower end, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, so that liquid from the containers I4 may be forced therethrough by the air pressure supplied to the containers while the covers I8 are closed. The amount of liquid dispensed from each container will be determined by the volume of that portion or section of the container into which the tube 3l) extends. 'Ihe volume of liquid to be dispensed can be varied by either raising or lowering the tube 30 in the spindle 25 so that it will extend into the container I4 either a smaller distance than that shown in Fig. 5 or a greater distance as represented by the broken lines 33.

To permit of such adjustment of the tubes 30 we may provide the frame I1 with a transversely extending movable bar or slide 34 to which the upper ends of the tubes are connected by suitable clamping means 30a. The slide 34 may be provided at its' ends with pairs of spaced guide plates 35 which straddle the upright side members I1a of the movable frame I1 and have slidable engagement with the latter so that as the slide 34 is raised or lowered it will slide on the side members I1a. The slide 34 may be raised or lowered by any suitable actuating means such as by providing racks 36 on the side members I1a and a transverse rotary shaft 31 on the slide having pinions 38 meshing with such racks. This shaft is journaled in suitable bearings 31a provided on the slide 34 and moves up and down with the latter. The ends of this shaft extend :through the slots 31b of the upright side members I1a.

The pinion shaft 31 may be rotated by means of a crank 39 having its inner end connected with this shaft by the bevel gears 4U and 4I. The bevel gear 4I is pinned to the outer end of the shaft 31 and the gear 40 is pinned to the inner end of the crank 39, such inner end being jour- -naled in the arms of a bracket 42 which is rotatable or oscillatable on the shaft 31. When the crank 39 is rotated to adjust the tubes 30 upwardly or downwardly, the slide 34 is shifted correspondingly on the frame I1 and carries the pinion shaft with it. During this upward or downward movement of the slide 34 and the pinion shaft 31, the bracket 42 a-nd the inner end of the crank 33 will also move upwardly or downwardly and this will result in a swinging movement of the crank. 'I'he outer end of the crank is supported by a bracket 43 having an opening 43a through which the crank extends and which is so formed as to permit such sw'inging of the crank when the slide 34 moves upwardly or downwardly. When .the slide 34 has been. adjusted to the desired setting it can be locked to the frame I1 by a clamping member 44 which is adapted to be drawn against a flange of the channel shaped side member I1a by the screw 44a.

UGGILM UUIII The right-hand dispensing unit may have its own slide adjusting crank 33, in which case the slides of the two units will be independently adjustable, or as shown in this instance the adjacent ends of the pinion shafts 31 of the two slides 34 may be connected with each other through the idler gears 45 and the pairs of bevel gears 46. When the pinion shafts are interconnected by such gearing the two slides 34 with their tubes 30 can be adjusted simultaneously by rotating the crank 39.

As shown in Fig. 3 the tubes 30 may be guided in their respective hollow spindles 25 by providing a bearing or guiding surface 41 on each spindle adjacent its upper end in which the tube is slidable and a bearing or guide surface 48 on the cover I8 and through which the lower end of the tube is slidable. Suitable packing glands 49 may be provided on the upper ends of the spindles 25 to prevent leakage of air around the tubes from the passages 3l. Air under pressure may be supplied to the passages 3| through nipples 50 with which air supply conduits 5I are connected. The upper ends of the spindles 25 may be connected with the transverse member I1b of the frame I1 by any suitable means such as clamping nuts 52 and 53 threaded on the spindles and located on opposite sides of openings in the frame member through which the spindles extend. The nuts 52 and 53 provide for vertical adjustment of the spindles 25 on the frame I1 so that the covers I8 will close tightly on the containers I4.

In moving the covers I8 to open and closed positions, power may be applied to the movable frame I1 in any suitable manner, but for this purpose we prefer to employ a fluid pressure cylinder 54 which is mounted on the support I2 adjacent the top thereof. A piston 55 operable in the cylinder is connected with the transverse member I1c of the frame I1 by the piston rod 58. The weight of the frame I1 and the parts carried thereby may be counterbalanced, or partially counterbalanced, by suitable compression springs 51 which are arranged on the support I2 so as to be subjected to compression by pull rods 58 which are connected with the transverse bar IIc of the frame I1.

As we have stated above, each unit of our apparatus includes one of the portable lling heads I5. This filling head is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 8 and 9 and may comprise a body 60 carrying a plurality of nozzles 6I and having a handle portion 52 by which Athe head can be conveniently held or carried. In this instance the lling head is provided with three of the nozzles 5I which correspond in number and spacing with the usual filling openings of a storage battery. The end nozzles may be adjustably connected with the body 80 so that the spacing of the nozzles may be varied. 'I'he handle 52 may have an air passage 63 therein to one end of which is connected a flexible air pressure supply conduit 64 fand in the other end of which is an air discharge orifice or nozzle 65. This orifice is normally open but can be readily closed by a thumb or nger of the operator. 'I'he three delivery nozzles 5I are connected respectively with the three discharge tubes 30 by means of the flexible conduits I4.

Compressed air may be used as the motive uid for actuating the frame I1 to open and close the container covers I8 and as the pressure fluid which is introduced into the containers for forcing the acid out of the latter to the delivery nozzles 5I of the filling head I5. In Fig. 9 we show an air pressure supply line 61 representing a source of air under pressure and which may lead from a compressor or air pressure storage tank. The supply of air pressure to the air cylinder 54 for the actuation of the movable frame I1 and the supply of air pressure to the interior of the measuring containers I4 is controlled by a solenoid valve 88 which is in turn controlled by a pressure responsive switch 68. This switch is responsive to the air pressure in the conduit 64 leading to the normally open orice 65 of the filling head I5.

A pipe 18 is connected with the supply line 61 through a pressure reducing valve 1I and leads into the solenoid valve 68 at a point between the spaced valve elements 12 thereof. Exhaust outlets 13 and 14 are connected with the solenoid valve 68 outwardly of the valve elements 12. Pipes 15 and 16 connect opposite ends of the air cylinder 54 with the solenoid valve 68 s0 that when air under pressure is supplied to one end of the cylinder the exhaust air will be discharged from the other end. A lubricant feeding device 16a may, if desired, be located in the pipe connection 16. The valve elements 12 may be shiftair supply pipe 18 through a conduit 19 and a pressure reducing valve 88. The pressure responsive switch 68 may comprise stationary and movable contacts 8| and 82 the latter of which may be moved to closed position by a diaphragm 83 and may be moved to open position by a comr pression spring 84. The chamber 85 of the housing carrying the diaphragm 83 is connected with the air conduit 64 so that an increase in pressure in the latter will cause closing of the switch and a decrease in pressure in the conduit will permit the switch to be opened by the spring 84. The switch contacts 8| and 82 may be located directly in the energizing circuit for the solenoid 11, or preferably as here illustrated, may be located in the energizing circuit of a relay 86 having contacts 81 controlling the solenoid circuit. Current from a suitable source or sources may be supplied to the relay circuit and to the solenoid circuit by the pairs of line conductors 88 and 88.

It is desirable to have the air pressure supplied to the containers I4 at substantially the same time as, or immediately after, the closing of the covers I8 and, therefore, we connect the conduits 5I to the air pipe 16 (see Fig. 9) through which air is supplied to the cylinder 54 to cause closing of i the covers. The conduits 5I may be connected with the pipe 16 through a plurality of pressure reducing valves 98 and a common conduit 8 I.

When our dispensing apparatus is to be placed in operation the stop valves 92, 93 and 94 in the pipe lines are opened and a supply of acid is provided in the tank I3. A small volume of air will now start flowing through the conduit 64 and wi-ll escape to atmosphere through the normally open orice 65. The operator grasps the lling head I5 and applies the same to a battery by inserting the nozzles 6I through the battery iilling openings. He then applies his thumb to the orice 65 closing the same and thereby causing a pressure to build up in the conduit 64 and in the diaphragm chamber 85. This will cause closing of the switch contacts 8l and 82 thereby energizing the solenoid 11. The switch elements 12 are thereupon shifted to a position to cause air pressure to be supplied to the upper end of the cylinder 54 through the pipe 18. This will cause the frame I1 to be shifted downwardly thereby closing the covers I8 on the measuring containers I4.

The energization of the solenoid valve 68 also causes air pressure to be supplied through the conduits 9| and 5I to the passages of the hollow spindles 25 and thence into the measuring containers I4. This air pressure forces acid out of the containers through the tubes 38 and the conduits I6 to the nozzles of the filling head I5. When the measured volume of acid, as determined by the depth to which the tubes 38 extend into the containers I4, has been delivered into the battery cells, the operator removes his thumb from the orii'lce 65 causing the pressure in the conduit 64 to be relieved. The operator knows when the measured volume has been delivered from the containers I4 by seeing or hearing air bubbles in the tubes 38 or at the filler head nozzles 6I. Thereupon the pressure switch 69 is opened deenergizing the relay 86 and the solenoid 11. This permits the spring 18 to shift the solenoid valve to the position shown in Fig. 9 thereby connecting the lower end of the cylinder 54 with the air pressure supply line through the pipe 15 and simultaneously connecting the upper end of the cylinder with the exhaust pipe 13. This will cause the frame I1 to be moved upwardly to lift the covers I8 from the tops of the measuring containers I 4. The lifting of the covers I8 will permit acid from the tank I 3 to immediately iiow into the containers through the cover openings 26 and as soon as the containers have been iilled and the.

lling head I5 applied to another battery the operation can be repeated by the operator again applying his thumb to the orifice 65. Y

Although a manually operable switch could be used instead of the switch 69 and could be located on the lling head I5, I prefer to employ the pressure responsive switch 69 and its control orice 65 because then the operator does not come in contact with any electrical apparatus whatever. This arrangement is preferable because the acid is highly conductive of electricity and the operator might be subjected to accidental electric shocks if he were to come into contact with electrical apparatus while handling the lling head I5.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will now be readily seen that we have provided improved liquid dispensing apparatus which can be used for any dispensing operation where it is desirable to deliver a predetermined volume of liquid, but which is especially suitable for rapidly and economically filling the cells of storage batteries with acid or electrolyte. It will be seen furthermore that the operation of the above-described apparatus is very simple and requires only the closing of the normally open air discharge orlce by the operators thumb whereupon a predetermined volume of acid will be delivered into the battery cells and as soon as the operator removes his thumb from the orifice the measuring containers will be automatically refilled. In using this apparatus it will be seen furthermore that the operator is not required to forcibly hold the filling head I5 against the battery as has been necessary heretofore with vacuum filling apparatus and since a predetermined volume is delivered during each dispensing operation all of the batteries will be lled to exactly the same level.

While we have illustrated and described our improved dispensing apparatus in more or less detail it will be understood, of course, that We do not wish to be limited to the precise details and arrangements herein disclosed but regard our invention as including such changes and modifications as do not involve a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. In liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in said tank so as to be submerged in the liquid, means operable to put said container in communication with said tank by establishing a liquid passage therebetween of a size to cause the container to be filled relatively quickly and said means being operable to thereafter seal the container, conduit means extending from said container to the liquid delivery point and having communication with the container at a distance below the top corresponding with the desired volume of liquid to be delivered, and means for introducing air pressure into said container to discharge liquid therefrom through said conduit means.

2. In liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in said tank so as to be submerged in the liquid, means operable to put said container in communication with said tank by establishing a liquid passage therebetween of a size to cause the container to be lled relatively quickly and said means being operable to thereafter seal the container, conduit means extending from said container to the liquid delivery point and having communication with the container at a distance below the top corresponding with the desired volume of liquid to be delivered, means for introducing air pressure into said container to discharge liquid therefrom through said conduit means, and means whereby the point of communication between the container and conduit means may be varied with respect to the top of the container for determining the volume of liquid to be delivered.

3. In battery filling apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a supply of acid, an open-topped substantially cylindrical container located in said tank so as to be submerged in the acid, a cover engageable with the open top of the container to seal said container and adapted to be lifted to permit the container to be quickly filled with acid, conduit means extending from said container to the acid delivery point, means for introducing air pressure into said container to discharge acid therefrom through the conduit means, said conduit; means including a pipe which extends into the container and is shiftable to vary the spacing of its open end below the top of the container, and means for shifting said pipe to vary said spacing in accordance with the volume of acid to be discharged. l

4. In battery filling apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a supply of acid, a container located in the tank so as to be submerged in the acid, a cover for the container, means operable to lift said cover to admit acid into the container and to thereafter apply the cover to seal the container, conduit means extending from the container to the delivery point including a pipe extending through said cover, and means for introducing air UEGIbH HUUH pressure into the container to discharge acid therefrom through said conduit means.

5. In liquid dispensing apparatus of the chars acter described, a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in the tank so as to be submerged in the liquid, a cover for the container, means operable to lift said cover to admit liquid into the container and to thereafter apply the cover to seal the container, conduit means extending from the container to the delivery point including a pipe extending through said cover, means for introducing air pressure into the container to discharge liquid therefrom through said conduit means, said pipe being movable in said cover to vary the distance which it extends into the container, and means for moving said pipe.

6. In liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described, a stationary tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in the tank so as to be submerged in the liquid, air pressure responsive means operable to place the container in communication with the tank to receive liquid therefrom and to thereafter seal the container, a source of air under pressure, a portable device having thereon a liquid delivery nozzle and a normally open air discharge orice, conduit means connecting the container with said delivery nozzle, and means connecting said source with said pressure responsive means, said container and with said orice so that closure of the orice will cause air pressure to build up in and actuate said pressure responsive means for opening and closing the container and in the container for discharging liquid therefrom through said conduit means.

7. In liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in the tank so as to be submerged in the liquid, means operable to place the container in communication with the tank to receive liquid therefrom and to thereafter seal the container, a source of air under pressure, a portable device having thereon a liquid delivery nozzle and a normally open air discharge orifice, conduit means connecting the container with said delivery nozzle, an air conduit connecting said air source with said container for supplying air pressure to the latter, a solenoid valve in said air conduit, a second air conduit leading to said orice, and a switch responsive to pressure in said second air conduit and controlling said solenoid valve.

8. In battery filling apparatus, a container for acid, a removable cover, reciprocably operable means connected with the cover for applying said cover to the top of the container to sealY the same, a delivery conduit extending through the cover and projecting into the containers. distance corresponding with the volume of acid to be dispensed therefrom, and means for introducing air pressure into the container for forcing said volume of acid therefrom through said conduit.

9. In liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described, a container for liquid, a removable cover, reciprocably operable means connected with the cover for applying said cover to the top of the container to seal the same, a delivery conduit extending through the cover and projecting into the container a distance corresponding with the volume of liquid to be dispensed therefrom, means for introducing air pressure into the container for forcing said volume of liquid therefrom, said conduit being movableup or down in the cover for varying the distance which the conduit extends into the container, and means operable to cause such up or down movement of said conduit.

10. In liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described, a container for liquid, a hollow spindle extending above the container and at its lower end carrying a, cover for the container, said spindle being axially movable for removing the cover from the container and for applying the same to seal the container, and a delivery conduit leading from the container including a. tube extending through the spindle opening and cover, said tube being axially movable in the spindle to vary the distance to which it extends into the container to thereby determine the volume of liquid to be dispensed, the opening of the spindle being larger than the tube to provide a passage for introducing air under pressure into the container.

11. In dispensing apparatus of the character described, a support having thereon a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in said tank so as to be submerged in said liquid, means providing a guideway on said support above said tank, means movable in said guideway and extending into the tank to a point adjacent the top of said container, a covr for the container mounted on the lower end of said movable means, conduit means leading from the container including a tube extending through said cover, a power device on said support and operably connected with said movable meansl t0 actuate the same for removing the cover from the container and for reapplying the same to seal the container, and means for introducing air pressure into the container.

12. In dispensing apparatus of the character described, a support having thereon a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in said tank so as to be submerged in said liquid, means providing a guideway on said support above said tank, a member movable in said guideway toward and from said tank and carrying a hollow spindle, a cover for the container mounted on the lower` end of said spindle, conduit means leading from said container including a tube extending through the spindle opening and cover, a power device on said support and operably connected with said movable member to actuate the same for removing the cover from the container and for reapplying the same to seal the container, and means for introducing air pressure into the container.

13. In dispensing apparatus of the character described, a support having thereon a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in said tank so as to be submerged in said liquid, means providing a guideway on said support above said tank, a member movable in said guideway toward and from said tank and carrying a, hollow spindle, a cover for the container mounted on the lower end of said spindle, a power device on said support and operably connected with said movable member to actuate the same for removing the cover from the container and for reapplying the same to seal the container, a slide on said member carrying a tube which extendsl through said hollow spindle and cover, means for adjusting the position of the slide on said member for varying the distance which said tube projects into the container, and means for introducing air pressure into the container for forcing liquid out through said tube.

14. In dispensing apparatus of the character described, a support having thereon a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, a container located in said tank so as to be submerged in said liquid, means providing a guideway on said support above said tank, amember movable in said guideway toward and from said tank and carrying a hollow spindle, a cover for the container mounted on the lower end of said spindle, an air cylinder on said support operably connected with said member to actuate the same for removing the cover from the container and for reapplying the same to seal the container, a portable device having thereon a liquid delivery nozzle and a normally open air-discharge orifice, conduit means leading from the container to said nozzle including a tube extending through the spindle opening and cover, a source of air under pressure, air conduit means leading from said source to said cylinder and to said container, a solenoid valve controlling said air conduit means, another air conduit leading to said orifice, and a switch responsive to pressure in the latter conduit and controlling said solenoid valve.

l5. Apparatus for simultaneously lling the cells of a multiple cell storage battery, comprising a support having thereon a tank adapted to contain a supply of electrolyte and a guideway above the tank, containers corresponding in number with the cells of the battery and arranged in said tank so as to be submerged in the electrolyte, a frame movable in said guideway, covers carried by the frame for the respective containers, a power device connected with said frame to actuate the same in said guideway for removing the covers from the containers and for reapplying the same to seal the containers, a portable device having nozzles spaced to enter the battery cells, conduits leading from said containers to said nozzles, and means for supplying air pressure to the containers for forcing electrolyte therefrom through said conduits.

16. Apparatus for simultaneously lling the cells of a multiple cell storage battery, comprising a support having thereon a tank adapted to contain a supply of electrolyte and a guideway above the tank, containersorrespondinginnumber with the censor tebattery andarrangedin said tank so as to be submerged'n the electrolyte, a frame movable in said guideway, hollow spindles depending from said frame and carrying covers for the respective containers, a power device connected with said frame to actuate the same in said guideway for removing the covers from the containers and for reapplying the same to seal the containers, a slide shiftable on said frame and carrying depending tubes which extend through the hollow spindles and covers into the containers, mea n the frame to varyy thne distanceswliichssaid tpbes extend into the containers, a portalglgdgfi'having nozzles/spaced 'to enter the ba ery cells, conduits connecting tire-outereidsol'd'ubes with said nozzles, and means for supplying air pressure to the containers forfcing electrolyte therefrom through said tubes and conduits.

17. In battery filling apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a supply of acid, an upright opentopped substantially cylindrical container located in said tank so as to be submerged in the acid, a reciprocable cover for said container, said cover being shiftable away from said container to permit the latter to be quickly filled from said tank and into engagement with the top of the container to close the same after filling, conduit means extending from said container to the acid 1 miettes.

delivery point, and means for introducing air pressure into said container to discharge acid therefrom through the conduit means.

18. In liquid dispensing apparatus, a tank having therein a supporting member and being adapted to contain a supply of liquid, an upright open-topped substantially cylindrical container located on said supporting member so as to be submerged in the liquid, a reciprocable cover member for said container, said cover member being shiftable away from the container to permit the latter to be quickly filled from said tank and into engagement with the top of the container to close the same after filling, and conduit means extending from said container for discharging the liquid therefrom, one of said members having a resilient container-engaging portion adapted to yield when said cover member is applied to said container.

19. In liquid dispensing apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, an upright open-topped container located in said tank so as to be submerged in the liquid, a reciprocable cover for said container, said cover being shiftable away from the container to permit the latter to be quickly filled from said tank and into engagement with the top of the container to close the same after iilling, and conduit means extending from said container for discharging the liquid therefrom, said cover having a depending skirt surrounding the upper portion of the container for guiding cooperation therewith.

20. In liquid dispensing apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, an upright open-topped container located in said tank so as to be submerged in the liquid, a reciprocable UUUI Vll l \vvl n cover for said container, said cover being shiftable away from the container to permit the latter to be quickly filled from said tank and into engagement with the top of the container to close the same after filling, and conduit means extending from said container for discharging the liquid therefrom, said cover having a depending skirt surrounding the upper portion of the container, said skirt being of greater length than the reciprocable movement of the cover so that a portion of the skirt will always surround the top of the container to |prevent misalignment between the container and cover.

21. In liquid dispensing apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a supply of liquid, an upright open-topped container located in said tank so as to be submerged in the liquid, a reciprocable cover for said container, said cover being shiftable away from the container to permit the latter to be quickly filled from said tank and into engagement with the top of the container to close the same after filling, and conduit means extending from said container for discharging the liquid therefrom, said cover having a depending skirt surrounding the upper portion of the container, said skirt being of greater length tahn the reciprocable movement of the cover so that a portion of the skirt will always surround the top of the container to prevent misalignment -between the container and cover and said skirt having openings therein of a size to permit liquid to flow freely to said open top of the container when the cover is lifted.

ARTHUR O. CODNEY. ROBERT M. BAILEY. 

